Cold Steel

Eight rigid inches

Of cold Steel

Plunge

Through the sun warmed crust

Into the soft moist

Material below

Earthy, fragrant, subtly fecal

Each stroke removing

A bit of living material

Insects, worms, fungi

The opening

Enlarged

By mechanical force

Cool air circulates

A small bird

Shares words of wisdom

With the world

A cock crows

Eventually the opening

Large enough to accommodate

Roots inserted

Covered and packed with soil

Tamped firmly into place

By strong competent hands.

Beginning of life

In a new place

Survival

Dependent on Nurturing

Watering fertilizing

Limbs and branches

Trimmed and pruned

Restrained and shaped

Forced to evolve

Into

The beautiful sculpture

Envisioned

By

The

Gardener

©2010BT